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1EdTech urges state investment in centralized student‑data privacy and vendor‑vetting tools
Summary
1EdTech told the Senate Education Committee the House budget amendment that requires districts to publish vendor privacy agreements must be paired with state funding for a centralized compliance platform so smaller districts can meet new requirements.
A nonprofit trade group urged the Senate Education Committee to pair new transparency requirements with operational support that would make compliance feasible for small and rural districts.
Curtis Barnes, CEO of 1EdTech, testified that House Bill 96’s language requiring districts to track and publish data‑privacy agreements with technology vendors creates a compliance burden many districts cannot easily absorb. He proposed a state‑funded centralized compliance infrastructure — modeled after systems deployed in other states — that would provide shared tools for vetting apps, documenting privacy agreements, and ensuring alignment with FERPA and COPPA.
“Good policy alone isn’t enough,” Barnes said. “Districts need the operational tools to meet these requirements consistently and efficiently.” He noted that 1EdTech has vetted tens of thousands of ed‑tech applications nationally and said shared resources can offset costs and reduce inconsistent local processes.
Barnes asked the committee to fund implementation supports so the policy intent of increased transparency under SB 29/House language can be realized without placing an undue burden on local staff. Senators asked clarification questions about existing pilots and partnerships; no budget votes were taken during the hearing.
